I am in the process of replacing the standing rigging on my late 70's 16 and I have run into a bit of a problem with the bridle tang. The deck area is chipped and on one hull is showing through to the glass. The stainless bolts that I plan to use to reattach the tangs are a smaller diameter than what was originally on the boat. To compensate for this my plan is to:

1) Tape the bottom of the hole flush, and then fill in the hole with Formula 27 (Polyester Filler). I also have West 105/205 epoxy, would that be a better choice?

2) Drill out a new hole just large enough for the new tang bolts, and reattach everything with washers on both ends (between the tang and deck on the topside).

Does this sound like a good plan of attack? I have not been able to find anything on replacing the bridle on the forum yet. Also, it appears that the hole may have been threaded originally, although this is may be a product of years of putty repairs building up, how were the boats originally configured?

Ummm, why would you choose to not use the same diameter bolts that originally came with the boat? You do realize that a smaller diameter bolt won't be as strong, right? Doesn't seem like a wise decision to me.

I may be able to source larger bolts, but my biggest concern is what is the best way to strengthen and reinforce the holes. A previous owner replace one of the bolts with a steel bolt, and it of course rusted out. There were a lot of play in both bolts (side to side), which makes me think that it would be worthwhile to fill in the holes and then drill them out to minimize play. I have not been able to find any information on this topic in these forums (I did just complete a delam fix, thanks to the info here!).

If it's only a small amount of slop you're trying to take care of, then yes, I'd just fill in the hole with putty or thickend resin and re-drill the hole. If the fiberglass around the hole is actually damaged, then it needs to be rebuilt with glass.

McMaster Carr is also a good source for hardware. They almost certainly have the right bolt (although you may have to buy more than you need). Or you can always order the bolts from your Hobie dealer. You can order the exact number you need from Hobie, but the per unit cost is generally higher.